Machine for applying flexible casings to magazines



Jime 3, 1930. M. b. BRENNAN AL 1;9761,189

MACHINE FOR APPLYING FLEXIBLE CASINGS TO MAGAZINES Filed Feb. 23, 192 9 3 Sheets-Sheet l @MMWM/ mm 3, 1930. M. o. BRENNAN ET AL 1,761,189

MACHINE FOR APPLYING FLEXIBLE CASINGS -TO MAGAZINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1929 June 3, 1930. M. o. BRENNAN Er AL MACHINE FOR APPLYING FLEXIBLE CASINGS TO MAGAZINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 23, 1929 I I -ZIZZ/ZEVZZ'O 71/ 15 and was thereforeexpensive.

Patented June 3, 1930.

Qumran STATES I MARK O. BRENNAN AND. GUSTAVE SCHUl'iEB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

PATENT O FICE I f ASSIGNOBS I TO SWIFT .AND COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01' ILLINOIS Enema "non Ariemzme FLEXIBLE casmes r macazmzs Application-filed r m-1 23,4929. Serial in 341,961.

This invention relatesfparticularly to ma-v chines for applying aflexihle' casing to the magazine of a meat covering machine.

' The co-pending application of Mark 'O.'

Brennan, Serial. No. 258,636, relatingYto methods and meansfor'wrapping foo d-pro ducts, shows a device including a tubular magtioned Brennan application. It is tubular so as topermit the cuts of meat to be passed azine on the outer'surfa'ce of-which is stored a supply of tubular knitted fabric which is appliedas a casing to cuts ofmeat as they emerge from" the interior of the magazine.

Heretofore,. the application of the casing material to the tubularmagazine wasa hand operation which consumed c'onsiderable. time The main objects of'this inventionare to provide an improved-machine for-applying t-he tubular casing material-to the magazine;

to provide a machine ot; "this ,kind having' improved means forusupporting the-,maga-.

zine; to provide "improved mechanism for feeding the casing material from arroutd the magazine; to provide improvedmeans i l for tightly packing [the casing 1 material folds upon the magazine; to provide support-a;

ing means of'this kind which will move to shift-the position of the'magaz'ine when the pressure exerted by saidpackingmeans exthijsrinventio'n is s liown in the accompanying'fdrawings,

whereiIii-a i. p Fi "re 1 is a side elevatlop'of a mach ne to w i'ch' this invention -1s applied, showing a magazine supported thereonand aiieizible casing 'a plied to the magazine,fthe hand wheel 'being'shown in dottedoutline left of Fig. 1. j g

'Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 33 oiFig. .1. .i

Fig. 4 isa horizontal section, taken on the *Ithrough whlch the casing material is'fe line 4- or, Fi .1.

ted fabric known as stockinette.

is removed, when the loaded magazine is means 6 for applyingfthe casing-material to onnted on the base 9, is a socket-11; in ,which .is rigidly secured a vertical ceeds a predetermined-amount; to provide posts lfiand 17;;-,,Sii ported on theposts 16;

Fig.2 isa side elevation, taken from the described is adapted to apply tubular flexible casing material 1 to a magazine 2. The casing material commonly employed cuts of meat consists of a knitin wrapping The magazine 2 herein shown, is similar the magazine illustrated in the aforemen-- teriah'a removable cap 3 is provided to fit over one end of the magazine. The cap 3 taken from the improved machine." In the form shown, the im rovedmachine.

. includes a frame 4, on whic is mounted a feeding mechanism 5 actuated by operating amagaz'ine .carrr ed by an improved vertically movable support 7. I r y i-The frame 4 herein shown comprises le 18, consisting of upright angle bars, whic ort a base 9"and a top 10.

12, disposed in substantially the center of the frame 4 and. extending upwardly to a int adjacent the top 10. Fixed on one si e-off the post 12, is a vertical rack 13, which meshes with a inion14 carrried by thesupport 7,' as hereinafter described. g I Formed in the top'10,-.is a centrally located" opening 15, which is arranged to receive the magazine and to ermit the magazine to 11love 'downwardly un erltheaction of meats. 'ing''tmechanism, as h' "einafteridescribed. 1

ounted on the 1p 10;.are two pairsv of 1s a pair of brackets '18 and 19 which sup port a roll 20 containing'asupply ofthe casing material. The brackets 18 and 19 age adjustably secured.- to the posts 16 screws 21. f Formedin the bracket 19, is a bearing 22, 'in whieh is supported a. rod 23 havingits i pper end bentgto form a guide loo 24,

Mounted on the posts 16 and 17, is a. frame 25 for supporting aportion' of the feeding mechanism 5.

The frame 25 comprises two pairs of bearing members 25 provided with tubular shanks 27 embracing the posts, and laterally extending arms 28. Integrally formed on the shanks 27, are lu s 29 for attachment to a pair of substantial y parallel tie rods 30 which are arranged to unite the two bearing members 26 of each pair.

Formed in the arms 28, are horizontally disposed slots 31, in which is seated a pair of driven shafts'32.

I Fixed on one end of one of the shafts 32, is a gear 33, which meshes with a drive gear 34 fixed on a stud shaft 35, on which is mounted a sprocket 36 driven by the operating means 6.

' Fixed on the other shaft 32, is a gear 37 which is driven by the gear 34 through an idler 38 journaled on a stud shaft 39. The shafts and 39 are supported on a plate 40 secured to two of the bearing members 26.

Splined to the shafts 32, are two pairs ofv conical feed rollers 41, which are arranged so as to be adapted to frictionally grip the casing material to feed it downwardly onto.

the ma azine. The feed rollers 41 are urged inward y into'engagement with the casing material by springs 42 embracing the shafts 32 and bearing between the rollers 41 and members 26.

Fixed on theshafts 32 adjacent the ends thereof, are arms 43 having pins 44 mounted thereon for attachmentto apair of springs 44, which are arranged to normally urge th two shafts 32 inwardly.

In order to permit the magazine to be inserted into the machine and removed therefrom, handles 45 are provided for manually .moving the shafts 32 outwardly against the action of the springs 44 to retract the feed rollers 41.

The handles 45 are pivotally secured to the bearing members 26' by pins 46 and are connected to the arms 43 by links 47.

Locatedbelow the feed rollers, is a-packing mechanism arranged to grip the casing material and to-pack it in Fig. 1.

In the form shown, the packing mechanism includes a pair of claws 48 having their lower ends pivotally secured to a. pair of crank members 49 fixed on shafts 50,.which are tightly in folds, as shown journaled in bearings 51 of the frame 4.-

10. With this improved arrangement of, parts, the claws are held in firm contact with the casing material during their downward stroke and are held out of contact therewith on, the upward stroke.

In the construction illustrated, the operating means 6 includes a suitable motor 56 mounted on the. base 9 and arranged to drive a shaft 57 having a sprocket 58,. which is connected to the motor by a chain 59.

Also fixed on the shaft 57, is a sprocket 60 engaging a chain 61, which drives a sprocket 62 fixed on a shaft 63, whichis journaled in brackets 64 mounted on the base9. The shaft 63 also has a sprocket 65, which is connected to the s rocket 36 by a chain 66 for driving the feet rollers 41. v

Mounted on the shaft 57, is a sprocket 67, which engages a chain 68 arranged to drlve the packing claws 48 through the sprockets The chain 68 engages the sprockets 67 and 52 in the manner shown in Fig. 1. and also engages a pair of idlers 69 and 70 journaled on the frame 4. v

The shaft 57 includes a clutch 71 adapted to control the operation of the machine. Mounted on one end of the shaft 57 is a hand Wheel 72.

In the en'ibodiment shown, the suppoft7 in cludes a. table73 secured to a sleeve 74, which slidably embraces the post 12-to permit the support to move downwardly under the pressure of the claws 48 when a certain quantity v of material hasbccn accumulated in folds on on which the pinion 14 is fixed. The outer end of the shaft 75 is provided with a hand wheel 76, whereby the support may be manually raised to its initial position.

Fixed on the shaft 75, is a-brake drum 77 which is embraced by a brake band 78 arranged to yieldingly resist the downward movement of the support 7. The band 78 is urged into frictional engagement with the drum 77. by a spring 79 embracing a bolt 80 which is arranged to span the space between the ends 81 of the band. The tension of the spring 79 may be adjusted by means of a nut 82.mounted on the lower end of the bolt 80.

In order to permit the support 7 to move freely when it is being raised to initial position by the-hand wheel 7 6, means is provided for releasing the brake.

Thereleasing means includes a cam 83 lo cated between the spaced ends 81 of thebrake band and adapted to be turned into position for spreading the band. The cam 83 is fixed ona shaft 84 journaled in a bracket 85, which is mounted on the sleeve 74.

Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 84,

the sleeve 74, a finger 89 adapted to operate a switch 90 located on the I cam 83 is actuated to release the socket 11 for stopping the machine automati-.

casin material downwardly and the claws 48 tig tly ack it in folds.

Undert e ressure of the claws 48, the support '7 an magazine move downwardly stepfor stopping the motor.

When the arm 86 strikes the tri per 87, the v rake so as to permit the support 7 to befraised by the hand wheel 76. When the arm 86 strikes the tripper 88, the cam 83 is restored to its ineffective position so as to permit the brake band to again grip the drum "Z7.

details of the construction shown ma altered or omitted without departing om fAlthoughbut one'specific embodiment of this inventionhas been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerogs e tlie spirit of this invention as defined byvthe following claims. v, We claim:

1. A device of the classdescribed comprising a support for a magazine, mechanism for feeding a flexible tubular casing onto said magazine, and reciprocable means for packprising a support for a magazine, a packer ing said casing in folds upon said magazine. 2. A device of the class described comadapted to feed a flexible tubular casing onto said magazine, said support being movable to shift the magazine under the'pressureof said packer, and means yieldingly reslsting the movement of said support.

. 3. A device of the class described comprising a support for a magazine, mechanism for feeding a flexible tubular casing onto said ma azine, said support being movable to shi t the magazine relative to said mechanism, operating means for actuating said feeding mechanism, and means arranged to render said operating means ineffective when said support reaches a predetermined position.

t. A device of the class described comprising a support adapted to hold a magazine in position to receive a flexible tubular casing, a pair of claws located on respectively opposite sides of said su port and adapted to pack the casing in fol s on the magazine, and means for actuating said claws. t

5. A device of the class described compris y-step until the switch 90 is actuated ing a frame, a support movably mounted on said frame for holding a magazine adapted to receive a'casing material, a plurality of feed rollers arranged to feed the casing ma-- terial onto the magazine, a packer arranged to ack the material in folds beyond said feed r01 ers,'and means "for actuating said feed rollers and acker. 6. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a support mounted in said frame forholding a magazine in a vertical position to receive a casing material, a plurality of feed rollers arranged to feed the material ontothe ma azine, a packer adapted to grip the material elow said feed rollers for packing it in folds on the magazine, said support '.being movable vertically to adjust the magazine relative to said rollers and packer, and means for actuating said rollers and packer.

7. A device of the'class described comprising a movable support adapted to hold a magazinefor receivlng a flexible casing inaterial, a packer adapted to pack the material in folds-onthe magazine, said support being adapted to yield for shifting the magazine when a predetermined amount of folded material has been accumulated by said packer, and means for actuating said packer.

8. A device of the class described comprising a support adapted to holda magazine for receiving a casing material, a packer arrangedto pack the material onto the magazine, said support being movable to shift the magazine relative to said packer, means yieldingly resisting the movement of said support, and mechanism adapted to render said means ineffective so as to permit said support to be freely shiftable.

9. A' device of the class described comprising a support adapted to hold a ma azine for receiving a casing material, a pac er arranged to pack the material onto the magazine, said support being movable in one direction under the action of said packer, means yieldingly resisting the movement of said support, and mechanism adapted to render said means ineffective when said support reaches a predetermined position so as to permit said support to be freely shiftable in the opposite direction.

. 10. A device of the class described comios prising a frame, a support mounted on said mechanism for rendering said means inefiec-.-

tive when said support reaches the lower limit of its movement.

t 11. A device of'the class described comprising aframe, a support mounted on said frame for holding a magazine in a vertical "ca I position to receive a casingmaterial, a packer arranged to pack the material in folds on the magazine, said support being movable vertically to shift the magazine relative to said packer, means for yieldingly resisting the downward movement of said support, mechanism for rendering said means inefiective when said support reaches the lower limit of its movement, and means for resetting said resisting means when said support reaches the up er limit of its movement. i

12. device of. the class. described comprising a frame, a vertical post on said frame,

a rack on said post, a support movably mounted on said post for holding a magazine adapted to receive a casing material, a PlIllOIl on said support meshing with said rack, an opcrating shaft for said pinion, a packer arranged to pack the material in folds on the magazine, said support being movable downwardly under the pressure of said packer, and a brake arranged to resist rotation of said shaft.

13. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a vertical post on said frame, a rack on said post, a support movably mounted on said post for holding a magazine adapted to receive a casing material, a pinion on said support meshing with said rack, an operating shaft forsaid pinion, a packer arranged to pack the material in folds on the I magazine, said support being movable downwardly under the pressure of said packer, a brake arranged to resist rotation of said shaft, and mechanism for releasing said brake when said support reaches a predetermined position.

14, A device of the class described comprising a frame, a support on said frame for holding a magazine to receive a casing material, means on said frame for holding a supply of the casing material, a plurality of feed rollers mounted on said frame for feeding the material onto the magazine, said rollers being shiftable toward and away from the magazine, a packer arranged to'grip the material below-said rollers and to pack it in folds, said support being movable vertically to shift the position of the magazine relative to said packer and rollers, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said support, and operating means for actuating said rollersjand packer. 1

Signed at Chicago this 20th day of February, 1929. MARK 0. BRENNAN.

. GUSTAVE SCHULER. 

